A24 announced today that it has acquired U.S. rights to Paul Schrader’s highly acclaimed thriller First Reformed starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried. It made its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival, followed by screenings at Telluride and Toronto. A24 plans a 2018 release.

Schrader is known for his screenplays for classic films like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, as well as directing films like the Academy Award-winning Affliction. First Reformed is a thriller centered around Ernst Toller (Hawke), a mysterious Reverend based in a small town in upstate New York. When Toller is approached by Mary (Seyfried), a pregnant woman struggling with a seemingly unstable, radical activist husband, he gets embroiled in a treacherous scenario that forces him to confront his troubled past and drives him to increasingly dangerous and shocking behavior.

About the acquisition, A24 said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be working with the brilliant, one-of-a-kind Paul Schrader on this deeply provocative and hypnotic new film. First Reformed is at once an intimate character study and an expansive and profound look at some of the most universal questions of our time, all told through one man’s riveting and unforgettable personal journey. We’re incredibly excited to bring this masterful achievement out into the world, and to draw attention to Ethan Hawke’s remarkable performance at its center.”

Filmmaker Paul Schrader said, “I have been watching A24’s inspirational progress and am excited for my film to join their company.”